The National Student Financial Aid Scheme provides funding for student accommodation, but appropriate properties must be available to house students. As for how these properties will be accredited, the financial aid scheme has revealed its plan.
NSFAS Tries To Combat Accommodation Shortages
A new accommodation portal launched by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will expedite the accreditation process for accommodation providers.By doing so, students will be able to live near their educational institutions in appropriate residences,
In 2023, NSFAS launched an accommodation portal. Providers of private accommodations can register on the portal to be considered for NSFAS-funded students. Accommodation providers register their properties on the portal, and NSFAS sends accreditors to grade and accredit them.
- NSFAS is fast-tracking the accreditation of accommodation providers and beds registered on the portal to place students.
By 20 March, 393,227 beds had been registered by 20,751 service providers across the country. Between March 13th and 17th, 3,027 additional beds were accredited. In the final weeks of March, NSFAS expected to accredit an additional 3,000 beds.
- NSFAS appointed 38 accreditors who have been trained in the last month.
The launch of the accommodation portal will assist the financial aid scheme in addressing housing shortage challenges faced by students across the country.
- NSFAS worked to ensure that additional beds were made available to the sector. More than 3 000 beds became available to affected students in five universities through the accreditation process.
Several university vice-chancellors have taken the initiative to ensure that emergency beds are available to students. Students were housed by more than 30 accommodation providers. VCs have taken the initiative to provide emergency beds for students. 38 accommodation providers had been engaged, but he did not know their geographic distribution.
NSFAS will assess whether more accommodation accreditors need to be trained. The currency accreditors may not be able to keep up with the demand for beds if further demand arises. It is currently not necessary to train additional accreditors, according to NSFAS.
